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How to Stop Skype From Starting Automatically

It's really easy to prevent Skype from launching when your computer starts

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on April 20, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

What to Know

In Windows, select the three-dot menu on the main page. Go to Settings > General.For the standard program, toggle the Automatically Start Skype switch to Off.For the Microsoft Store App, select Settings and toggle the Skype button to Off.
This article explains how to stop Skype from starting automatically in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 8. The steps differ slightly depending on how you installed the program—from the Microsoft Store or through Skype.com.

Windows How to Disable Skype' s Auto-Start Setting

By default, Skype opens automatically each time your computer starts and you log in to your user account. When you disable Skype on startup, you have to manually open it the first time you want to use it after starting your computer. Once it’s open, it remains open like normal—and messages and calls can come in—until you sign out or close it down. You can also promptly shut down the program in one step: Right-click the Skype icon from the right side of the Windows taskbar area, and choose Quit Skype to instantly shut it down. Select the three-dotted menu (it's located next to your name on the main page). Choose Settings. Go to General. For the standard program, toggle Automatically start Skype to the off position (the button will turn grey).
For the Microsoft Store app, select Settings from that same screen, locate Skype from the list, and toggle the bottom to the Off position. Exit any remaining open settings screens. To resist most problems you might need to fix with Skype, and to avoid the steps below, you can instead use Skype in your browser.

macOS Remove Skype From the Login Items

There are a couple ways to disable autorun for Skype on a Mac. The first and easiest method is to do so from the Dock. Go to the Dock and right-click the Skype icon. Go to Options. Select Open at Login to remove the checkmark. The other way is to remove it from the list of startup items in System Preferences. Open System Preferences. Select Users & Groups. Select your username. Go to the Login Items tab. Select Skype. Select the minus/remove button (it's located at the bottom of the screen). Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix It When the Snipping Tool Isn't Working in Windows 11 How to Connect to a Server How to Disable Startup Programs on Windows 10 How to Disable Android Auto How to Uninstall Skype How to Use Skype in Your Browser How to Use Skype How to Disable Extensions and Plug-ins in Google Chrome How to Stop Meta (Oculus) Home From Automatically Opening How to Use Skype's Split View Mode in Windows 10 Task Manager (What It Is & How to Use It) How to Turn Off OneDrive in Windows 11 How to Stop Spotify From Opening on Startup on a Mac How to Use Skype for Chromebook How to Allow Pop-Ups on Your PC How to Skype With Alexa Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies